Art
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Art and wine and beer enthusiasts
will soon be able to enjoy all three at
the same time in Queens.
June 5 marks the grand open of
Queens' first Painting with a Twist location,
where participants take part in
an artist-guided painting lesson while
enjoying glasses of wine and beer.
Felecia and Kumar Singh are the
owners of Painting with a Twist at 97-
14 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills. The
studio had its soft opening on May 24,
and Felicia Singh said the customer
response has been positive.
She praised the skill of the local artists
who lead the classes and said that
they have even made painting and art accessible
to people "who haven't picked
up a paint brush since kindergarten."
The Ozone Park resident said that
all customers who bought a spot for
a class during their soft opening were
automatically entered in a raffle to win
a free class for themselves and one
friend. The winner for the raffle will be
announced on June 21.
Singh said she was inspired to open
her own Painting with a Twist location
after a date night with her husband at the
Staten Island studio. That night, the store
was having a "Paint with a Purpose"
event, where 50 percent of the proceeds
went to the Vera Bradley Foundation for
Breast Cancer. She became inspired by
the warmth and welcoming nature of the
owners at the Staten Island outpost, and
told her husband that she saw herself
running a business of her own.
The Painting with a Twist franchise
was founded by Louisiana residents
Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney following
Hurricane Katrina. According to
the website, the women wanted to do
their part to rebuild their community and
"give people a place to relax, unwind
and get creative."
Before deciding to open her location
in Forest Hills, Singh said that she
and her husband made a trip down to
Louisiana to meet with the founders,
and was encouraged by the women's
"open and loving" attitude toward her.
The price of a class is $35 for two
hours and $45 for three hours, and the
maximum size of a single class is 38
people. Singh said that they have a wide
18 JUNE 2018 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com
selection of alcohol available, including
Cabernet, Merlot, Moscato, Pinots,
sangria, Champagne and domestic and
imported beers. She added that drinking
alcohol brings a different element to the
painting experience.
"It loosens inhibitions and people
are more willing to go with the flow,"
she said.
For special occasions like birthdays,
Singh said they have been giving out
a drink on the house to the guest of
honor. On Father's Day, she said they
would be serving special "manmosas"
to the dads taking part in a class. In
addition to alcoholic beverages, Singh
said that they also serve non-alcoholic
beverages and various things to munch
on, including chips and a fruit and
cheese platter.
Singh said the atmosphere of her
Painting with a Twist store is "like a
dinner party, but more of a party."
About halfway through a class, she
said that the class takes a collective
"dry break" during which everyone sets
their painting aside to dry. While they
wait, Singh said that people can socialize,
and participate in a dance session
and raffle.
The Painting with a Twist studio officially
opens on June 5. From 5 to 7
p.m. the studio is open to the public,
and a ribbon-cutting will take place at
5:30. Following the open session, an
invite-only event will happen from 7 to
9 p.m., during which participants will be
able to see how a real class operates.
For more information, visit their website
or Facebook page.
Photos courtesy of Felecia Singh
Painting
with
a Twist
/www.qns.com
